What I loved most: Nothing much.

What I really hated: Maggie Q in the movie, the wrong costumes,

I did not watch An Empress and The Warriors, because I read bad reviews about it, thought I will buy the VCD/DVD after a few years, when they are dirt cheap... So I was having high expectations for Three Kingdoms, as many fans of the original story/novel/drama series/games would be. With modern CGI and film making technology, superstars like Sammo Hung and Andy Lau, there was much to expect. Especially when Andy's recent two other films of the same genre had been so successful; A Battle of Wits, based on pre-Qin dynasty (with Nicky Wu, and Warlords, based on Qing dynasty (with Jet Li and Takeshi Kaneshiro). But alas, Three Kingdoms is a disappointment. The dialogues sound very very odd, especially the narrator part, which is especially out of place, it really sounds like a modern person trying to speak in an ancient figure of speech, and failed miserably at that (the Sammo Hung parts). Only Andy Lau sounds natural. The fight scenes are nothing impressive, do not expect the impressive war scenes and skillful stunts from Jet Li's Warlords. When I watch a war movie, I wanna see gore, severed limbs and heads, but there isn't much blood here. Zhao Yun was known for his skills with the spear, but we don't see many of that portrayed in the movie either. They just treat him as a great fighter, and that's it, he just wins the fight, simply. We all know Zhao Yun is a great fighter and would surely win the fight, but we wanna see how he did it. Duh. The customary horseback duels between the generals were ok, but pales in comparison to the original drama series made many years back by the PRC, where superb horsemanship and polearm skills were displayed. The important characters don't have important roles in the movie, (Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei). Given, its a Zhao Yun show, but these characters are too important to be just given a few lines in the movie. Guan Yu looks ok, but not great. The Zhang Fei doesn't feel like Zhang Fei; there is no madness in his eyes at all, and there's no 'fire' in his temper, no thunderous roar in his war cry - his famous words 'I am Zhang Yide of Yan the county, who dares to fight me to the death!' supposed to send shivers to Cao's army, but it sounds so weak and fake in the scene, which makes it seems so 'staged'. On the other hand, the banter between Guan Xin and Zhang Bao is appreciable. The original story was altered in many parts, but unfortunately I believe, to the distaste of many Romance Of The Three Kingdoms fans. As noted by some, the costumes and armors are so wrong, especially that helmet! Yes those styles only starts appearing in the late Yuan or early Ming dynasty, another few centuries later! I can accept the wrong costumes, but Maggie Q really looks out of place, fact is, she doesn't look Chinese at all in the movie. While I think the fictional character Cao Ying is ok for the movie, I wonder why Maggie Q landed with that role. I was excited to see how would the producer would portray the scene where Zhao Yun/Zhao Zilong famously pushed down a heavy stone wall to cover up the water well, so as to protect the corpse of Liu Bei's wife, who had committed suicide in the well. Its kinda like one of Zhao Yun's strongman feats. But heck no, the story's changed, Zhao Yun arrives with the wives already dead :( If given a choice, I will wait and buy the VCD/DVD at a sale a few years later.

What I loved most: Partially the acting, and the spectacularity of the size of the battle.

What I really hated: Casting, Distortion of historical facts, fight scenes and their costumes.

First of all i would like to address on the worst thing of the movies. Their historical facts, costumes, cast, fight scene. The risk of making such movies is that if they do not stick to the historiacal facts closely while making movies on them, they are bound to get critics from historians or fanatics for distortion of facts. For example Liu Bei was already a cavalry commander before he met Liu Bei and was Surbodinate to Gong Sun Zhang not Liu Bei, even the battle of Chang ban and or how he died was not at all accurate! Even the body armor of Generals and Soldiers, looked like Japanese or from the Ming dynasty period. And as for the cast, they just don't fit into the description of the historical characters, for example, Guan Yu was said to have the look of an upright, strong person with an aura around him that command a huge respect and fear. I don't see that in him neither do in any other character like Zhang Fei, Liu Bei even in Zhao Yun. Perhaps people's thinking are so ahead of time now that they just forget about their ancestors and how they even look anymore. And for the battle scene, all are just flashes of weapons clashing against each other, no really concentrated prolonged film of fights so as the battle scenes, it doesn't psyched people up at all. Not Gory or battle rage, not even blood drunk at all. As for the best of the Movies, they did well on the emotional scene, maybe its because modern films concerntrated to much on melodramas and in term of battlefield clashes but not the FIGHTS! is spectacular but as with Pirate of the Carribean 3, its like meat soup without meat in it, Awe inspiring or spectacular scenes but with tasteless actions in it. They seriously need better fight choreography. Overall the its only worth watching if you wanna waste your time in the cinema than waste your time at home. Its not even worth buying the Vcd or Dvd, you won't be very eager to watch it, may be even cob web will form on it. Might as well to wish for the best for John Woo's coming movies, the battle of the Red Cliff, i have seen its trailer, looks awe inspiring and would do use asian proud as masterminds of many modern war strategies.

What I loved most: action scene, visual

What I really hated: costume

1st of all,the director got the costume all wrong..its more like tom cruise movie,the samurai chinese version.tis story is base on ancient time n much to my knowledge,ancient warrior dun wear like japanese.not so impressive.a disappointment to all fans.andy is the rite choice for e role bt e director make him look like a japanese warrior.as for maggie,she is nt tat suitable for the ancient role cos she dun ve e ancient classic accent.overall its watchable fors actor/actress fan.hopefully john woo ll do a better job.if not i would encourage fans to buy vcd/dvd of 3 kingdom by china production.its much more real....

What I loved most: Cinematography, Backdrop, Music

What I really hated: Should have given alittle bit more details on the bravery & wits of Zhao Zi Long

Went for the Preview yesterday @ Prince & I dozed off approx. 5 mins later. Partly due to the fact that I'm not interested in similiar storyline, but also becuz of the hue (colour) of the whole movie (Grey, Dark Grey, Some Browns here & there) and I'm not a fan of Andy Lau since young. To be frank, I was only interested in the appearance of Maggie Q as some people doubt the fact that she was given the role of Cao Ying & how she's going to perform well cuz she has Caucasians features. However, I do have to admit that there's storyline to this movie but sadly, it should be developed a little more further to portray the wits & bravery of Zhao Zi Long (I only get to see him fighting vigorously most of the time). As for the Cinematography + Backdrop (mountains etc) & Music, I give it all a thumbs up, especially the music. I'm all out to get the OST of this movie cuz its realli well done. My advice to those who has not watch this movie - If u have the extra bucks, or if you're a fan of either of the actors/actress, then go for it. If you're none of the above, just leave it alone.